Leaving my external HD on overnight...

SLLAB02

SLLAB02

New Member
....is it a bad idea? I have a brand new Western Digital 250 GB My Book and I presume there will be a few scenarios in the future where I'll either forget to turn it off or want to copy files for a long period of time. I can't find a utility that will allow for a timed shut off. Is there a way that I can configure my comp to shut it down after, say, two hours? If not, is leaving it on overnight harmful?
 
Does that enclosure have a fan in it? I mean, for the most part, it wouldn't be any different than if it were in your computer... But of course, if it's fairly sealed with no air flow, such a long period could generate a fair amount of heat. You'd probably be fine a few times, but I would try to limit it...

As for shutting it down, I know you can spin drives down under power management after a certain amount of time, but I don't know if USB drives are included...
 
Yeah, as : The Other One said. It probably doesnt matter that much and it should be able to handle it. Nut it still probably isnt that good for it.
 
I have 4 externals 2 with fans and 2 without. I also invested in a small plug in fan, which you can find at any dollar store. I run that on the 2HD's that have no fans when needing to keep them on for a while. So far it seems to work pretty well. The HD is also a 250 gb and I have an additional 40 gb drive.
 
yes a fan is essential, and if its a quality made hdd no probs at all. just remember to make sure the fan is working at all times, so it dont overheat or worse, good luck1
 
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